Rotatable hot metal discharging car

ABSTRACT

A novel form of dumping mechanism for dumping vessel cars used to convey molten metals, which comprises a ladle, a bale, and a frame for supporting said ladle and bale in position for pouring the metal, the frame constituting a body of a railroad car mounted on standard trucks, and means for dumping the contents of the ladle comprising a rack, wheel, and pinion structure engaging the bale at either end thereof, and a drive mechanism for the bale consisting of a continuous pull chain connected to a collar at one end of the bale, said pull chain being engaged by sprockets driven by a motor so that by electrically driving the same, the bale can be moved in engagement with the rack and tilted.

nite States Lesk et al.

" atent ROTATABLE HO T METAL DISCHARGING CAR [72] Inventors: Norman Lesk, Mamaroneck; Mitchel Kleinman, Brooklyn, both of NY.

[73] Assignee: Treadwell Corporation, New York, NY. [22] Filed: Nov. 4, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 86,894

[52] US. Cl... ..l05/265, 74/202, 105/271 June 13, 1972 Attorney-Thomas B. Graham [57] ABSTRACT A novel form of dumping mechanism for dumping vessel cars used to convey molten metals, which comprises a ladle, a bale, and a frame for supporting said ladle and bale in position for pouring the metal, the frame constituting a body of a railroad car mounted on standard trucks, and means for dumping the contents of the ladle comprising a rack, wheel, and pinion structure engaging the bale at either end thereof, and a drive mechanism for the bale consisting of a continuous pull chain connected to a collar at one end of the bale, said pull chain being engaged by sprockets driven by a motor so that by electrically driving the same, the bale can be moved in engagement with the rack and tilted.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures JPYM AV; 37 42 1' I I I M l ll 4,3 l

PATENTEDJUM 13 I972 'SHEET 10F 2 PATENTEDJUN 13 m2 SHEET 2 0F 2 m M s v s 1 a El x \I a 8 a z I M" F 7 an B x a INVENTORS NORMAN LESK MITCHEL KLEINMAN BY ATTORNEY 1 ROTATABLE HOT METAL DISCHARGING CAR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the handling of molten metals it is essential to convey the metal from the crucible, or furnace, to the pouring points and for that purpose equipment of rather large scale is conventionally used. In some instances it is a ladle carried by overhead cranes and in others itis a ladle carried on a bale on a form of dump car which travels on railroad tracks, or railroad style tracks. It is this latter construction of the moveable dump car, which is conventionally a frame supported on a railroad car bed, carried on railroad car trucks, the supports carrying a bale, and the bale carrying a ladle which is of interest herein. A car of this character is moveable to a furnace, where the fur nace is tapped, the ladle filled, and-then the car moved to a location for pouring. The pouring is done by tilting the ladle on its bale and the conventional structure for the ladle or bale consistsof a rack and pinion with a motor or air cylinder to drive the rack and pinion structure, thereby to tilt the ladle to a pour position. A number of disadvantages of this kind of structure reside in its complexities, its lack of mechanical advantage, and the further disadvantage that dirt and cinders frequently will foul the gears so as to render the apparatus difficult to maintain if not, in fact, inoperable.

It is accordingly :1 basic object of this invention to provide a simplified improved dumping arrangement for ladle cars wherein a basic rack and pinion structure is preserved, but the .drive mechanismis altered to make a positive single end drive which suitably tilts the bale and, accordingly, the ladle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device which eliminates the need for worm drives at the bale so that the extensive fitting and maintenance generally required in conventional structures are eliminated.

It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism for dumping ladle cars wherein lubrication requirements are minimized.

It is a basic object of the invention therefore to provide a compact form of drive substantially more efficient thanthe direct worm gear and worm wheel at the bale and to provide thus a single end drive arrangement useful for dumping a ladle car in either direction.

Other objects and advantages will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention accordingly is embodied in a dumping mechanism for ladle cars the improvement being in the dumpingwherein in a total combination of the conventional car, it consists of trucks, a car body carrying a frame, and a bale, having its transverse supports mounted onwheels, rack wheels to engage a rack on end supports, the improvement comprising a modification of an end of the bale to apply thereto a collar and flanges and a pull chain of a continuous type, the pull chain extending to chain sprockets at the sides of the car, the chain sprocket being engaged by reducer and intermediate gears and driven by a motor, so that the single direct motor drive of endless chain can be used to pull the car ladle to one side or another for tilting and pouring.

In the drawings showing details of the construction FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a ladle car showing the relationship of the ladle, bale, and mount therefor to the bed of the car and the trucks carrying the car;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the car showing the relationship of the chain drive to the ladle, bale and the car body, taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the drive showing the support wheel, rack wheel, the'chain and drive;

FIG. 4 is a semi-diagrammatic view of the chain drive mechanism for the bale showing the bale, collar, sprockets and chain in working relationship to each other; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the ladle, bale and supports, rack, pinion, collar and chain.

Referring now to FIG. 1, which is the general side elevation of a dump car, 10 represents a car, generally standing on tracks 11 and 12 supported on wheel pairs 13, 14, and 15, 16, which wheel pairs are respectively part of the truck combinations 17 and 18, forming essentially conventional trucks for either end of the railroad car. Blocks 19 and 20 represent generally the spring or bearing mount of the bed, including bearings and axles for the wheel pairs. Slung between the two trucks of the car is the car body shown in its basic structural form consisting of the frames 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, respectively, representing the several sections of the car body. Coupling mechanism 26 is indicated generally at one end and a coupling mechanism 27 is indicated at the other.

As is common in ladle cars sections 21 and 25 of the body are flat and provide a platform for the supporting mechanism for the ladle. Sections 22 and 24 are inclined supports forming part of the sling carrying the basic support 23 horizontal to the track. The shape of bed serves to receive the ladle and the inclined support; the basic supports, as well as the ladle itself may be considered conventional.

Supported across the bed of the car and on a longitudinal axis parallel to the car axis is the ladle 30 having the ears 31, 32, 33, and 34 integrally joined thereto to provide horizontal supports for the ladle on the bale 35. The bale 35 is carried by end supports 36 and 37 mounted respectively on the flat bed of the car. The open bale 35 is formed to receive the ladle 30 therein. Bale 35 is conventionally formed of I-beams of structural type and has an open hexagonal outline suitable for receiving the conical form of the ladle.

The end 38 of the bale 35 is terminated in a support wheel 40, carried on a support 41 and a rack wheel '42 carried on a rack 43 mounted on support 36 which is in turn carried on the end 21 of the car body.

This is the non-driven end of the bale and constitutes merely the support wheel, the rack wheel, and the support rail and rack for the purpose 'of supporting the ladle in filling position and in pouring position.

The other end of the bale is the driven end and it consists of end 39 carrying the support wheel 50 on support 51, rack wheel 52, and rack 53, all carried on support 37 mounted on the base 25 of the machine.

As distinct from the other end of the bale, the driven end carries the circular bushing or shaft extension 55 which gives the end of the bale a round configuration (FIG. 4). Surrounding the bushing is the collar 56 equipped with ears 57 and 58 which carry links 59 and 60 of the chain 61. Chain 61 passes around sprocket 62 and sprocket 63, mounted ate each end of the support 64. Each of the sprockets is mounted in appropriate pillow blocks 65, 66, and 67, 68.

In FIG. 3 there is shown a plan view of the mechanism involving the collar, chain, and gear arrangement for dumping the car. Here it will be observed that the bale 39 and its support wheel 50 and the rack wheel 52 are visible. The bushed collar 56 is shown with its connections to the chain 61 via pins 59 and 60. The chain is driven by sprockets 62 and 63 also indicated in FIG. 4. Sprocket 63 is carried by the extended shaft 69 which is carried on pillow blocks 67 and 68. Shaft 69 is extended sufficiently to carry gear which meshes with pinion 81 which is, in turn, carried on shaft 82 driven by gear box 83, or gear reducer. Reducer 83 is connected by shaft 84 to motor 86 which is the main drive of the mechanism. Hand wheel 87, which is a large diameter wheel, is provided to permit manual dumping of the car in the event of power failure which makes motor 86 inoperative. Brake 85 is provided for regulating dumping.

Referring now to FIG. 2(or 3) which is an end view of the mechanism its operation can be traced. The motor 86 drives reducer 83, which in turn drives intermediate gears 81 and 80 which engage sprocket 63. When the sprocket 63 is driven in a clockwise direction chain 61 is pulled to the right and the bale 35 within the rotatable collar 56 is drawn to the right. Since the structure of the bale around the ladle is rigid, and the rack wheel 52 engages rack 53, the ladle is tilted to the right. The

other end of the bale is the non-driven end but in view of the rigid nature of the structure it follows the motion of the driven end.

For pouring in the opposite direction it is necessary to alter the direction of the motor 86 and cause the chain to be pulled to the left to induce tilting of the ladles to the left. The tilting of the ladle is brought about by the fact that collar 56 can rotate around bale 35 while engaged with rack wheel 52, which is fixed to the bale. Since the rack is also fixed to the base of the machine the pull to the left induces tilting of the ladle to the left; and the pull of the chain to the right induces the pulling the ladle to the right.

Although the invention is described in terms of only a single embodiment it is apparent that the variations in the form of engagement from the motor, to the reducer, to intermediate gears, to the sprocket can be made without departing from the principle of providing for the sliding collar arrangement on the end of the bale, with the endless chain to induce tilting to the left or to the right as desired in the selection of direction of pour.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dump car comprising wheel trucks, car base, supports, bale and ladle mounted in said bale suitable for receiving molten metal and slag and the said bale being mounted on supporting wheels on each end thereof, and having rack wheels in engagement with subjacent racks, the improvement comprising providing said bale with a slip collar at one end thereof, an endless chain connected to said collar, spaced sprockets engaging said chain, and motor and gear means for engaging said sprockets to drive said sprockets in a preselected direction, thereby to induce tilting of said ladle in said preselected direction.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim I wherein the drive consists of a motor, reducer, intermediate gear, and gear engaging one of said sprockets.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the drive consists of a motor, reducer, intermediate pinion, and gear carried on the shaft with one of said sprockets.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein manual means are provided for driving the reducer, intermediate gear, and gear engaging said sprockets. 

1. In a dump car comprising wheel trucks, car base, supports, bale and ladle mounted in said bale suitable for receiving molten metal and slag and the said bale being mounted on supporting wheels on each end thereof, and having rack wheels in engagement with subjacent racks, the improvement comprising providing said bale with a slip collar at one end thereof, an endless chain connected to said collar, spaced sprockets engaging said chain, and motor and gear means for engaging said sprockets to drive said sprockets in a preselected direction, thereby to induce tilting of said ladle in said preselected direction.
 2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the drive consists of a motor, reducer, intermediate gear, and gear engaging one of said sprockets.
 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the drive consists of a motor, reducer, intermediate pinion, and gear carried on the shaft with one of said sprockets.
 4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein manual means are provided for driving the reducer, intermediate gear, and gear engaging said sprockets. 